April 27, 2017
Government of Manitoba to Create Transformation Management Office
– – –Body will Ensure Integration of Structural and Organizational Reform of Health System between Government, Regional Health Authorities and Health-care Facilities: Premier
As recommended in the Health System Sustainability and Innovation Review (HSIR), the government of Manitoba will create a Transformation Management Office (TMO) to guide the implementation of broad changes aimed at improving the quality of health care across Manitoba and ensuring the health-care system is fiscally sustainable, Premier Brian Pallister announced today.
“Manitoba faces challenges associated with unacceptably long wait times and unsustainable costs throughout our health-care system. Our government has taken a number of steps to identify how improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of health-care services can ensure better health outcomes for Manitobans,” said Pallister. “We are focused on results. The creation of a dedicated office will ensure structural and organizational reform within the regional health authorities and health-care facilities is integrated with the planning of core government.”
The HSIR looked at how improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of health-care services can be made to ensure the sustainability of the health-care system and improvements to health outcomes for Manitobans. It also assessed the current organizational structure of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the structure of the province’s health-care system and the level of co-ordination and alignment between the two.
Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Kelvin Goertzen noted the final report of the HSIR has now been received by government. The report concludes that significant system performance improvements cannot be achieved without structural and organizational reform that engages stakeholders in the development and support of strategies that address long-standing barriers in system-wide delivery and integrated service planning.
The interdependent nature of improvement initiatives drive the need for the establishment of a strong, centrally managed office within Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living, the report noted. The TMO will be operationalized over the coming months to support and oversee the broader transformation and strategic realignment of the provincial health-care system as well as the implementation of the recommendations identified in the HSIR, the minister noted.
“Health care in this province comprises more than 40 per cent of our budget. Nearly 97 per cent of that budget is managed outside core government by the regional health authorities (RHAs),” said Goertzen. “Our government will set benchmarks for the expenditures and structural change that are to be undertaken by the RHAs and will ensure alignment between those who fund - and those who deliver - health-care services.”
The government is now focused on the implementation of the review’s recommendations to ensure the realization of sustainable benefits over both the short (2017-18 fiscal year) and medium (the next three to four years) term.
The governance, structure and alignment of the TMO will be guided and developed by Olivia Baldwin-Valainis, director – Transformation Management, within the Priorities and Planning Secretariat.
Succeeding Olivia Baldwin-Valainis in the role of director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations will be David McLaughlin on an interim basis.
These changes are effective May 1.
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